rank 1 of 3

rank

2 of 3

noun

1
as in ranking
the placement of someone or something in relation to others in a vertical arrangement attained the highest rank in the Freemasons

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in row
a series of people or things arranged side by side rank upon rank of cavalry came thundering down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

rank

3 of 3

adjective

1
as in rampant
growing thickly and vigorously covered with trumpet vines so rank you couldn't see the trellis beneath them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rank distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of rank are fetid, fusty, malodorous, musty, noisome, putrid, and stinking. While all these words mean "bad-smelling," rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

How do fusty and musty relate to one another, in the sense of rank?

Both fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic
the musty odor of a damp cellar

When is malodorous a more appropriate choice than rank?

The synonyms malodorous and rank are sometimes interchangeable, but malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

In what contexts can noisome take the place of rank?

While the synonyms noisome and rank are close in meaning, noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

When might putrid be a better fit than rank?

Although the words putrid and rank have much in common, putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

How are the words stinking and fetid related as synonyms of rank?

Both stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells
the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rank
Verb
Dallas wasn't far behind, ranking second with an average charge of 47 cents. Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2025 In total, 16 of the album’s songs populate this week’s 50-position chart, which ranks songs based a formula blending U.S. streaming and sales totals. Trevor Anderson, Billboard, 1 May 2025
Noun
The actor will join the ranks of Demi Moore, Andy Garcia, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, Paulina Chávez, Kayla Wallace, Mark Collie, James Jordan, and more. Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025 His order also states they should be reverted to their former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments or compensation. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Only Tokio is expected to remain, albeit in rank 3, while Osaka/Kyoto is expected to fall as far as rank 13 by 2040, down from formerly rank 3. Katharina Buchholz, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 Brownfield to wetlands: Pima county officials plan green future for contaminated facility Finally, John Leos visited Tucson to meet with some of the folks who are trying to clean-up a wastewater treatment plant that, for years, filled surrounding areas with a pretty rank odor. Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 30 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for rank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank
Verb
  • There are two ways to watch the series through Fubo or Peacock.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • There are other elements of the government's debt obligations that only add to the cost.
    John Kelly, Nancy Cordes, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • How Businesses Can Remain Compliant Governance platforms and compliance partners focus on helping any business, from enterprises to startups, to monitor, identify, classify and ensure that AI is built in accordance to the new EU AI Act.
    Jessica Mendoza, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Of the 23 players in the squad that have made 11 or more league appearances this season, nine (almost 40 per cent) can be classified as long-distance internationals.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Nice sit 63rd in the ELO rankings — a measure of team strength that allocates points for every result, weighted by the quality of opposition faced — ahead of Galatasaray and level with Freiburg.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Ellison improved his ranking by one from No. 5 in 2024, while Page vaulted three places from No. 10 and Brin jumped three positions from No. 11.
    Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis spoke with clarity about the essentials of faith, mercy, joy, human dignity, and the urgency of going out to the peripheries.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
  • And Francis, the first Jesuit pope, spoke often about art, music, literature and cinema — both as instruments of evangelization and guardians of human dignity.
    Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • On top of getting your ducks in a row, May’s first quarter moon is here to help you fine-tune your daily rituals, tackle unfinished tasks and focus on your self-care.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 2 May 2025
  • For the third season in a row, the Knicks are going to Round 2.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • Chicken-centric chains, notably Raising Cane’s and Wingstop, were the strongest performers among all restaurant categories in 2024.
    Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 3 May 2025
  • Seo’s concierge service is priced at $500 per category of treatment: non-surgical skin care (including tightening treatments like Ultherapy), medical exams (like allergy and hearing tests), and beauty services (head spas, nails, massages).
    Parizaad Khan Sethi, Allure, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • Breeding a climate of 'rumor and turmoil' Historians say papal gambling dates back at least to the 1400s and was rampant in 16th-century Rome.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 4 May 2025
  • Everything was from outside our borders, crime is rampant, our economy is gone to help in a hand basket, and there was no growth whatsoever.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.
    Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2019
  • Muttaiah said the man inside the stinking manhole was working without any safety equipment — no gloves, no shoes, no supplemental oxygen.
    Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2019

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Cite this Entry

“Rank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

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